North Park University Among Top Producers of U.S. Fulbright Students

List of institutions with highest yield of Fulbright students announced

CHICAGO (October 31, 2013) — North Park University was among the colleges and universities that yielded the most U.S. Fulbright students in 2013–2014, according to a list announced by the U.S. Department of State. The list of top-producing institutions was published in the October 28 edition of the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Three North Park University students won 2013–2014 Fulbright awards: Timothy Ahlberg, completing a Binational Business Exchange Grant internship in Mexico; Samuel Auger, serving as an English Teaching Assistant in Bulgaria; and Bailey Schwartz, serving as an English Teaching Assistant in Turkey. Including these three, the program has awarded 12 of its prestigious grants to North Park University graduates in the past five years.

Dr. Linda Parkyn, Fulbright Program faculty associate, brings her experience as a Fulbright Scholar and Fulbright Specialist to the University, and is committed to encouraging students to seek out opportunities offered by the program. “North Park students can compete with the best college students in the country,” Parkyn said. “Our success in this program shows the faculty commitment to mentor students. If students take learning seriously and are ready to excel in their courses, internships, and community service, the faculty is eager to steer them toward opportunities like this.”

The Fulbright Program, the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program, is an excellent way for high-achieving undergraduates to gain work experience after graduation, said Parkyn. “Crafting a life takes more than a diploma,” she said. “I have worked with some wonderful students who make it their mission to show the best of the spirit of service in their first year after North Park, working in schools and universities throughout the world.”

The application process for the Fulbright Program is rigorous. The North Park University Fulbright Committee, comprised of Provost Joseph Jones and five faculty members, interviews each applicant. “In the process of writing a competitive application and in faculty conversations, students mature in their outlook and in their essay cohesiveness,” said Parkyn. “These grantees have worked hard.”

More than 1,800 U.S. students, artists, and young professionals in more than 100 different fields of study have been offered Fulbright Program awards in more than 140 countries this fall.

The Fulbright Program was established by the U.S. Congress in 1946, and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. It is the largest U.S. international exchange program offering opportunities for students, scholars, and professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and teaching in elementary and secondary schools worldwide.